Pull over Let me drive for awhile
by McFiddleStan
Summary: Bucky and Loki are at the tail end of a road trip. WinterFrost AU. Established relationship.


A/N: Hey, all. I know it's been a minute since I've posted anything here. I started this prompt list, 100 Ways to Say I Love You, as a way to get past my writer's block. I've written 10 so far, so I'll post one a week. Hopefully, more will be added to the list. FYI, there are various ships, in various stages, in various settings. Whatever fits the prompt, basically. It might be FrostIron, WinterFrost, or Stucky, and possibly even DashingFrost or WinterIron. Depends on my mood. LOL. Anyway, enjoy!

xoxo, La

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Bucky watched the taillights of the car ahead, zoning out as Nirvana hummed low through the speakers. He broke out of his trance when Loki muttered angrily beside him at the same car Bucky was blindly staring at, and moved their car into another lane. Turning his gaze to his window, Bucky watched as the sun set on the horizon. Aside from the music, the car was awkwardly quiet.

They had just spent the last week together, on a road trip, driving from LA to Vancouver. They'd had a lot of fun, singing along to the radio and their personal playlists, admiring the changing landscape of California, kissing in the rain in Seattle, and exploring the nightlife in Vancouver. Then as they were heading home, Loki let something slip and Bucky's response was…well, it wasn't great.

And now Loki wasn't speaking to him.

Nirvana faded into the Eagles, and Bucky, done with the silence, shifted in his seat so he could get a better look at Loki, without actually looking at Loki. Bucky was trying to get a read on Loki's face, to see if he was still pissed, but part of his face was hidden behind Loki's left hand as he rubbed a finger back and forth over his top lip.

"Stop staring at me."

Bucky frowned and turned his eyes away. "I wasn't staring. I was just…wondering how you're doing. You thirsty? Wanna snack? Maybe stretch your legs?"

Loki let out a breath that somehow, to Bucky's ears, sounded irritated. "I'm fine."

Bucky bit back a sigh, but was even more determined to break through Loki's icy façade now. "Can we talk?"

Loki's fingers slipped into his hair, making his face, and very obvious pout, visible. "I don't really think there's much left to say."

"C'mon, Loki," Bucky groaned. "I didn't mean to…I was just surprised, okay?" Loki scoffed under his breath and Bucky closed his eyes, took a breath. "I wasn't expecting it, so I didn't — but —"

"Fine. Got it. I'll keep it to myself next time."

"Goddamn it, Loki. You know that's not what I meant." Bucky's tone was harsh enough to garner a surprised glance from Loki before he turned his eyes back to the road. "I'm not, you know, one of those people that can talk about their emotions and shit. I know that stuff comes real easy to you. And if you don't say it with your words, trust me: your actions and your face say it all." He didn't miss the slight tilt to Loki's lips. "But…sometimes it's hard for me to explain what I'm feeling. And I can't always put it into words."

Loki took that in, quiet. "I see. Except with Steven or Samuel."

Bucky chuckled shortly. "What?"

"I've heard you myself, with my own ears, end a phone call with Steven by saying 'love you.' And you've mumbled an 'I love you, man' to Samuel a time or two, and get into deep conversations with the man. So don't tell me that you can't say the words."

Giving his eyes a comical roll, Bucky suppressed the urge to laugh in Loki's face or smack him upside the head. "Okay. Well, first of all, the jealousy thing? It ain't cute, doll. And, you better believe, I'll remember this the next time I catch you fluffing Stark's hair."

Loki made a questioning gesture with the hand on the wheel, but made no eye contact with Bucky, leaving them on the road. "What are y— when have I ever _fluffed_ Stark's hair?"

"Second," Bucky continued, ignoring Loki's question. "Sam's been my friend since college. The only time I say that to him is when I'm drunk. And he's the same damn way. You've seen it. It's a stupid joke that started cause he got weird around me when he found out I was gay. That man couldn't suck a dick to save his life."

Loki made a disgusted noise, but Bucky saw his smile before he turned his face away.

"And third." He paused, gathering his words, long enough that Loki turned his gaze on him. "Steve's…hm. He's been through a lot with me, okay?"

Loki clenched his jaw, returning his eyes to the road ahead, and Bucky winced. "I'm not aiming to diminish that, James. I know how important he is to you. And Sam. But…you couldn't even…" His voice trailed off and Bucky's heart ached at the way Loki tried to hide the emotion clear on his face by turning his head away.

Frustrated, Bucky rubbed at his forehead then his face, trying to find a way to make Loki understand. Raising his head again, his eye caught the glint off of the charms dangling from Loki's rearview mirror. It was a gift from a woman whom, Bucky knew, was like a mother to him. There were two snakes in the shape of an S, Loki's favorite animal, some green colored gems, and the one that Bucky was focusing on, a hammer, added for one of Loki's oldest friends, Thor. "What about you and Thor?"

Loki's hand flipped up on the wheel, fingers splayed, questioning. "What about him?"

"He calls you brother, even though everyone knows you're not really related. You guys are close. You love him right?"

"That's an entirely different situation."

Bucky lowered his eyes to his lap, where he picked at the skin around his nails on one hand with another. "Not really," he mumbled softly.

"Thor's family took me in like one of their own. I love his mother as if she were my own. She fed me more meals than my own ever did. Thor is…he's like a big, annoying brother."

"Exactly!" Bucky hadn't meant to shout the word, but he did, and the car went quiet.

"I don't…"

"Steve is like my brother, too, Loki. He's the only…family I have." Bucky could feel Loki's eyes on him, but couldn't bring himself to meet his gaze. Loki's eyes were one of the many things about him that could make Bucky go weak in the knees. They could also see into him like no one had before, as if he could read his thoughts. Sometimes it was annoying, sometimes it was amusing. Right now, it would be unnerving.

"I see," Loki finally said, quietly.

"But that's beside the point." Bucky was irritated with himself; he hated that he couldn't just say what he meant sometimes. And now that he knew what he wanted to say, he was suddenly nervous and struggled to get his words out. "Look, I know we've both been looking forward to this trip for awhile. And…I didn't mean to f…fuck this up. And you know…just because I don't _say_ it doesn't mean I don't _feel_ it."

It went quiet again, but for the low music. After a moment, Bucky looked up, but kept his eyes ahead. Until Loki started to veer into the other lane. "Loki!" He jerked the car back and resettled in his seat.

"Sorry." Unwilling, apparently, to sit in silence again, Bucky watched Loki reach out to turn up the volume of the music, and the kicky uptempo beat of Prince's "Kiss" filled the car. Bucky held back a giggle.

"How long 'til the next stop?"

Loki's eyes darted to the clock then his phone on the dashboard with the route on display, "Quite a bit of a drive. Why? Are you hungry? Do you want me to stop and get you something?"

Bucky grinned. There were so many ways Loki showed him how he felt without having to say the actual he just did it again. "Nah I'm okay."

Loki returned the grin, turned up Prince a little more, humming along. He shifted again, resting his left arm over the wheel and brought his right hand up to cover his yawn. Bucky rolled his eyes with a smile at this silly man that he did absolutely love. Feeling it so strong, it felt like he might vomit hearts or something, he reached over to link his fingers with Loki's. Loki's lips slowly curved and he brought their joint hands to his mouth to press his lips to the back of Bucky's hand.

"Pull over. Let me drive for awhile."

Loki started to object, but the words died on his lips when he saw the look on Bucky's face and he felt the squeeze to his hand. Grinning like a loon, Loki nodded and pulled the car off to the shoulder.


End file.
